Monument record 4023/0/1 - Early Iron Age settlement

Archaeological excavations prior to ironstone quarrying revealed two early Iron Age semi-circular structures together with a number of pits and evidence of early iron working.

{4} Excavations revealed a number of early Iron Age pits and two semi-circular structures.
A single c14 from charcoal found in a pit in Area 1 gave a date of 2630+-100bp (Har 4494). This corresponds to an uncalibrated date range of 780-580BC.

The two apparently semi-circular structures had roughly the same internal diameter (average 9.3m) and both had an open side to the east. It is possible that the full circumference of each gully had not survived, but this is though unlikely because of the similarity of the structures as revealed by plan. The gullies do not appear to have been cut for drainage. The surviving gullies, slots and holes which formed the semi-circles were very irregular in depth, and for this reason it seems probable that they supported hurdle or wattle walls, reinforced by larger posts. It was not possible to say whether one feature was earlier than another. There may have been small openings on the west side of each structure. The fill of the wall slots contained dark charcoal flecks. No packing stones were found. It was not possible to establish whether one structure predated the other, and they may have been contemporary.

<1> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1977, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1976, p.209 (checked) (Report). SNN723.

<2> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1978, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1977, p.180 (checked) (Journal). SNN2192.

<3> JACKSON D., 1978, CBA Group 9 Newsletter, p.4 (checked) (Journal). SNN56080.

<4> JACKSON D., 1982, Great Oakley and Other Iron Age Sites in The Corby Area, p.3-14 (checked) (Article). SNN40120.

<5> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.196 (Series). SNN77382.

<6> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1979, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1978, p.103 (unchecked) (Article). SNN45225.

Record last edited

Mar 28 2022 12:01PM